Consumers can also browse new apps in the Windows Store, view staff recommendations, and get personalized picks based on apps they may already use.

Microsoft’s sponsored Wi-Fi is available now for users of all Wi-Fi enabled devices in six Manhattan subway stations, supported by Transit Wireless and across Wi-Fi hotzones covering San Francisco locations including Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, UN Plaza, the Financial District, Nob Hill and more.

Hagan: The carriers will pay us wholesale traffic fees for putting traffic on our network.

FierceBroadbandWireless: We know Wi-Fi offloading has become an important part of managing traffic on the network. Do you envision other carriers signing similar deals with you?

Hagan: We do. We are in discussions with operators globally. It has become a hot topic. We have been talking about it at Boingo for a number of years. The good news is it is becoming real. The carriers are engaged with standard-setting bodies like Hotspot 2.0 and Passbook. It used to be that Boingo would participate in these standards bodies, and we’d talk about standards for Wi-Fi to cellular. But, until the carriers got involved, it was kind of outsiders looking in trying to get something done. Now the carriers are driving it, and it shows the commitment of the carriers to truly implementing a carrier offload solution.

The Boingo Wi-Fi service will be a “white label” offering. That means carriers can rebrand it as part of their service.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint program enables mobile devices to automatically discover and connect to Wi-Fi networks, without the manual fiddling of wireless settings. Passpoint allows cell companies to enable roaming agreements with hotspot providers, enabling new revenue streams and making Wi-Fi an extension of paid service provider networks. Passpoint-certified devices work across vendors and have Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) security protections.